BLADENBORO — They managed less than half the number of hits as their opponent. They committed two costly errors that led to an unearned run. With momentum slipping away, they turned their season over to a freshman pitcher playing in her first road playoff game.
They’re also still alive for a possible state championship.
The South Lenoir softball team did it again Tuesday, travelling to West Bladen and knocking off the host Knights 5-2 to advance to the best-of-three 2A Eastern finals series that will start Thursday at South Granville, a 6-4 winner over Wilson Beddingfield.
“This team just has a will to win,” SL coach Lisa Smith said after her squad’s fourth-round victory. “Even when we struggle, like we did at times tonight, we find a way. I couldn’t be more proud of what this team’s accomplished.”
Despite being outplayed statistically, the Blue Devils (22-3) never trailed in the contest. They scored three times in the top of the first against West Bladen ace Abby Walters, taking advantage of two walks, two errors, and base hits by Madison Herring and Meredith Sanderson.
Those three runs held up until the sixth when Brianna Williams came home on a wild pitch and Taylor Sandlin, who singled, scored on an RBI base hit by Haley Daniels.
Williams was the first SL batter to reach base since the opening frame. Walters retired 13 hitters in a row up to that point.
“We didn’t have our best night offensively,” Smith said. “But we scratched and clawed and got some big hits when we needed them. We’ve been a clutch team all year.”
In between the Blue Devils’ three-run first and two-run sixth, there were plenty of dicey moments as the hard-hitting Knights (24-3) attempted to battle from behind.
West Bladen scored once in the third and added another in the fourth. The Knights also left nine runners on base, had another picked off first, and hit into a game-ending double play.
The key moment came in the fourth.
After the Knights’ Kristen Dickerson singled to cut the deficit to 3-2, SL’s Smith brought in freshman pitcher Mattie Beyer to face the top of the order with one out and runners in first and second.
Beyer responded in a big way, getting leadoff batter Danielle Dove to fly out to Morgan Mentz in center field, and then enticing two-hole hitter Taylor Stephens, the daughter of West Bladen coach Pam Stephens, to pop out to left fielder Brittany Lassiter.
“I’m usually not nervous, but I have to admit I was a little when I went out there to the mound,” Beyer said. “Our defense really made some nice plays and bailed us out, which helped calm me down.”
In relief of starter Sandlin, Beyer threw the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out two.
“I have complete confidence in both Mattie and Taylor,” Smith said. “They’ve carried us all year in the pitching department and I have no hesitation using either of them in any situation.”
Although they committed two errors, the SL defense also turned in some spectacular plays. Shortstop Herring made a nice over the shoulder catch in shallow left to end the home second, and she and first sacker Sanderson combined on a slick double play to end the victory.
“The goal at the end of the day is to have more runs on the scoreboard,” Smith said. “We fought hard all game, overcame a lot of adversity, and won. That’s all I can ask of these girls, and they’ve been doing it all season.”
South Lenoir 300 002 0—5 4 2
West Bladen 001 100 0—2 9 2
Sandlin, Beyer (4) and Williams; Walters, Wyatt (6) and Sykes. W—Beyer. L—Walters.